There is a significant proportion of patients complaining of muscle symptoms while on statin therapy who have a measurable difference in muscle strength or endurance and whose muscle biopsies are diagnostic for myopathy.

Detailed Description

This is a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Sixty patients who are identified by their physician as having muscle pain or weakness while on statin therapy and in whom creatine kinase (CK) enzyme determinations have been normal will be enrolled voluntarily. All patients will have a percutaneous muscle biopsy prior to enrollment into the trial. These patients will be randomized in a blinded crossover fashion to either standardized statin therapy or placebo in eight week intervals. After eight weeks of drug or placebo the patients will be assessed for signs and symptoms of muscle weakness by:

Dynamometry of grip and hip strength

An exercise test with exhaled gas analysis

Blood tests for cholesterol, creatine kinase, lactate

Urine tests for organic acids

Following the first eight-week study and testing period, each patient will serve as their own control and they will enter a second eight-week study period. During the second phase they will take the opposite therapy, either drug or placebo, which they have not yet received. Sub-studies will include ten controls who have never previously received statins and ten subjects who have suffered statin-induced rhabdomyolysis. Subjects in these sub-studies will not be exposed to statin therapy and will only undergo limited testing.